


Found Families

by anonony



Series: Seducing A Hot Alien Prince 101 [16]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Found Family, M/M, forceful haircuts, like a tiny smidge of shattlura if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-02
Updated: 2018-03-02
Packaged: 2019-03-25 23:03:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13844889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anonony/pseuds/anonony
Summary: Lotor has interactions with paladins other than Lance





	Found Families

**Author's Note:**

> Look who's coming in at the 11th hour with a fic before season 5 airs. 
> 
> Anyway, if you're looking for a break, there's no spoilers here, and its about to become AU anyway so. Meh. 
> 
> Also, some minor references to my Lotor background story but I'm not even sure I'm gonna continue that, and in the meantime, the fic itself should explain some things if you've only read the lance/lotor stuff.

Keith had returned, visiting from between missions with the blade of Marmora. He’d grown slightly taller, his hair had to be held back in a ponytail, and there may have been a few more scars the others didn’t want to see, but he was back, and everyone was happy. 

Everyone except Lotor. Lotor and Keith had never spent enough time together to get to know each other, and Lotor was perfectly happy with that after certain comments Keith had made against Lance when they’d announced their relationship. Lance had forgiven him, but Lotor was not so willing.

Anyway, Lotor let them all converse and share stories because Lance didn’t like it when Lotor was divisive with his friends, and Lotor stayed out of their way. He took advantage of this time to use the training room.

He lost track of how long he’d been here, the gladiator not presenting much of a challenge, but after a while he’d still managed to get a sweat built up. He was expecting Lance to come down and get him any minute. 

What he was not expecting was instead for Keith to appear behind him, casually leaning against the door. “Can I help you?” Lotor asked. 

Keith tapped his feet, thinking. “Not sure.”

Lotor squinted at him. “Where’s Lance?”

Keith shrugged, walking in. “I got Pidge and Matt to challenge him to a video game competition. Should be hypnotized for a while.”

Lotor stiffened. “So. Is this the part where you attempt to intimidate me, or kill me?”

Keith actually smiled at that. “So,” He said, walking over to the far wall, “While with the blade, I’ve had the privilege of watching a few Galra courtship rituals.”

“Really.” Lotor said privately. 

Keith nodded, taking off his jacket and putting it aside. “I can’t help but notice you haven’t been following Galra tradition.”

“Well,” Lotor said, feeling adrenaline kick in as he anticipated where this was going, “Lance had some objections to me fighting and possibly murdering his friends.”

Keith drew his knife, letting it expand to a sword in his hand, and giving it a casual flip. “I don’t.”

Lotor smiled, gearing for a fight, but still held back. “And what’s in it for me? If I kill you, I lose Lance. And if you kill me…”

“Not to the death then,” Keith said, marching forward, “But…to the killing blow? With promise of no maiming injuries.”

Lotor sighs. “Takes some of the fun out of it, but, if you insist.”

Keith slashed an ‘x’ into the air, in a traditional Galran salute. Lotor mirrored him perfectly, and the universe shrank to the size of the battleground, everything else fading away. 

Lotor’s mind worked like a computer, analyzing everything he knew about Keith, about his fighting and what would happen. Keith was impulsive, easy to lure, easy to anger, but wild and practiced, depending on his skills to keep him moving forward. So, Lotor would wait. Keith had already come in intent on fighting him, and was ready to go. 

Keith gave him exactly what he wanted, lunging forward. Lotor deflected with ease. A feint. Honestly that was more restraint than Lotor was expecting. Keith feinted again. Lotor knew he was being tested when he saw it. 

In a flash, the fighting really began, slashes and stabs, thrusts and perries. Their swords clanged together one after the other. Quite a number of times in the next few ticks, Lotor saw the flash of luxite blade far too close to his own face for his liking. The kid had learned. Still, Lotor had far more experience. 

What Keith lacked in strategy and experience he made up for in speed and agility. Not to mention he was a small little bugger. Lotor spent most of his time keeping him at a distance, trying to get that perfect range where he could hit Keith, but Keith couldn’t hit him. 

This proved trickier than he was expecting. Usually it was him who was faster and more agile than his opponent, having gone up against any number of large galra and giant alien opponents. 

Still, Lotor had a few tricks up his sleeve. 

The fight took them all around the room, practically leaping off the walls as their dodges got increasingly acrobatic. Lotor was re-calculating his approach with every move, Keith having clearly learned a great deal from his time with the Blade. 

Finally, Keith managed to land a blow on Lotor’s leg, knocking him to his knees. He was just about to push himself back up when he felt luxite on his neck. 

Keith was pressed against his back, holding the sword up to his throat, prepared for decapitation. “I win.” He said, easily.

Lotor smirked. “You sure about that?”

What Keith hadn’t noticed was the hand Lotor had managed to insert between his back and Keith. He now patted it against his back to get Keith’s attention. Keith backed away and looked.

Lotor held a knife flat against his back. A knife that, had it been sticking out, Keith would have walked directly into. “You cheated.”

Lotor stood up, facing him. “No rules in a Galra courtship battle.” Keith glared up at him. “So,” Lotor sheathed his sword, “Do I win your approval?”

Keith narrowed his eyes. “Lance is my brother,” he said, sheathing his own knife. “Him, Shiro, Hunk, Pidge, Allura, Coran. They’re my family. Only family I have.”

Lotor nodded. “And you’ll protect them. Against the big bad Galra Prince.”

“If I have to,” Keith said, “But Lance doesn’t need me for that. He can take you himself.” 

Keith took another step towards him, and although he was shorter by a decent foot, Lotor knew someone attempting to be intimidating when he saw it. “I will say that while I can be a slow learner, I never fall for the same trick twice.” He eyed the knife in Lotor’s hand.

Lotor smirked. “Then I shall have to find some new tricks.” 

Keith’s nose flared, but he held himself back from saying anything. Instead he retreated, grabbing his jacket. “Still don’t like you,” He called back as he left the room. 

 

“What’s your favorite food?” Hunk asked, cornering Lotor when he went to get a snack. 

Lotor looked around. There was no one else in the room. “Are you….speaking to me?”

“Yeah,” Hunk said continuing to cook, “I realized the other day I don’t know you’re favorite food. I like to make them for people.”

Lotor squinted suspiciously at him. “Why?”

Hunk shrugged, “’Cause it’s nice.”

“No, I mean, why are you trying to be nice to me?” Lotor asked.

Hunk chuckled. “Lance mentioned you were paranoid.”

“I’m not paranoid,” Lotor protested, “I am…” Hunk raised an eyebrow, “Suspicious.”

“Dude,” Hunk said, “You’ve been living on this ship for months. You’re dating my best friend. What’s so weird about wanting to be your friend?”

“The fact that it’s weird,” Lotor said. Hunk chuckled, taking something large and wobbly out of the oven. “People don’t try and be friends with me.”

“Lance did.”

“I slept with Lance,” Lotor answered. 

Hunk snorted. “I’m DEFINITELY not trying to sleep with you. Weren’t you the one to tell Lance it’s better to make allies than defeat an enemy?”

“Lance told you that?” Lotor said.

“Lance tells me everything,” Hunk said, “You know, most things, anyway. There are some things I’d rather not know.” Lotor was still eyeing him. “Anyway, the point is, it’s easier to be friends with someone when you’re, you know, friendly. Just a tip.”

Lotor nodded slowly, still not trusting him. “I…” he started, “I like Potpari eggs.”

Hunk frowned, “I don’t know if I’ve heard of Potpari.”

Lotor bit his tongue, “They’re a fish indigenous to Marix 7, the fish is too gamey, but I like the eggs.”

Hunk nodded. “Alright. I’ll keep my eye out for them.”

Lotor grabbed his plate of goo that he’d come for and started to retreat. “Thank you, Paladin.”

“It’s Hunk,” Hunk corrected, “Its also easier to be friends if you refer to them by name.”

Lotor nodded again. “Thank you….Hunk.”

 

“Did you fall?” Pidge asked, walking into the control room. 

Lotor looked up. “Excuse me?”

Pidge was soon joined by Matt, who was watching his sister like she was about to explode. “Did you fall, hit your head and are now looking up the best possible cure?”

Lotor looked to Matt, but not finding any more answers said, “No?”

“Then why the HELL are you AT MY COMPUTER?!” Pidge demanded.

“You don’t touch her computer, man,” Matt said through his donut.

“You don’t touch ANY of my stuff!” Pidge shouted, “Especially not you!” 

“I apologize for—“

“I do NOT accept!” Pidge shouted, “BACK OFF right away mister and if you EVER even so much as THINK of touching it again I’ll bind your hands together and electrocute you until your dick—“

“I was inputting information on Galra prison ships.” Lotor spoke over her. 

Pidge froze, staring at him and trying to figure out his game. “What?”

Lotor brought up a spec of a Galra ship. “This is the Empire ship Goltex. I believe that it is the same ship that captured you, Matt,” Lotor said, nodding to the taller Holt, “and Shiro and your father. “It makes a number of stops exchanging prisoners to locations, like the Gladiator arena.”

“Where would they have traded my father to?” Matt asked, concerned. 

“I’m not sure,” Lotor said. “But I have a list of their stops here. If you can find a way to track down their records-“

“It could give us a starting place,” Pidge said, staring at the projected ship like it was her salvation. She turned to Lotor again, as if just remembering he was there. “Why haven’t you told us about this before?”

Lotor shrugged. “It was not relevant to our mission to defeat Zarkon.”

“Then…” Matt said, “Why are you telling us now?”

Lotor paused, debating on how he’d answer. “Hunk…recommended I try being nicer.”

Pidge still stared at him suspiciously. “Okay,” She said. “Well….thanks.” Lotor nodded and started to walk off. “And Lotor?” Pidge called after him, “You touch my computer again without asking, I WILL castrate you.”

Lotor smirked, and left. 

 

“Sit,” Lotor ordered.

“Um…Lotor?” Shiro asked, tentatively sitting in the chair, “What are you doing?” 

Lotor took out his bag that he’d brought from his old room. He needed to clean it out anyway. “I managed to withstand this disgrace to common aesthetics when we were enemies and reluctant allies, but if we’re actually going to be friends, I can take it no more.”

“Take what?” Shiro said as he removed scissors and strange bottles all together.

“Shiro.” Lotor looked him in the eyes, “I’m giving you a haircut.”

Shiro blinked at him confused. “You’re what?”

“It’s bad,” Lotor said, “It’s. Look, if you want me to be honest, then you’re going to have to accept my honesty.”

“Lotor,” Shiro shakes his head, “Don’t you think you’re overreacting a little?”

“Matt?” Lotor said as Matt passed by, looking like a yelmier caught in laser lights, “Don’t you think Shiro could use a haircut?”

“Uhhhhhhhhhhhh…………….” He said, eyes volleying between Shiro and Lotor. “I uh. I’m not. I mean it’s not like. It’s not BAD, per say, like it’s definitely a style, you know and it’s just…uh….”

“Matt,” Shiro said, face falling, “Do you not like my hair?”

Matt grimaced. “It kinda looks like you went at it with safety scissors.”

Shiro hunched up his shoulders, frowning. “Fine.” Lotor finished setting up. 

“And not just the little ones,” Matt continued, “The ones with that zig-zag thing to make your paper all jagged once you cut it? Those kind of scissors.”

“OKAY!” Shiro said, “I already agreed to this torture, you don’t have to add to it.” Lotor began by taking shampoo in his hands and finger combing it through Shiro’s hair. “By the way, I seem to recall one of us being called a broomhead at the Garrison, and it wasn’t me.”

“That was when I was a young dork,” Matt said leaning up against the wall, “Now I’m older, and cool.”

“Oh please,” Shiro rolled his eyes. 

“Can we refrain from witty banter until I’m done here, please?” Lotor said.

“Oh, I want to stick around and see this.” Matt said, settling in. 

 

Soon enough they gathered a small crowd. Lance, Hunk, Keith, and Pidge had taken to watching Lotor shove various products onto Shiro’s head only to wash them out again, comb it, and in general tug on every single root attached to his scalp. “Honestly, I should have had him do this ages ago,” Lance said, “He’s a master with hair.” Lotor winked at him. “And I already give him great skincare treatments. We’re like a spa duo, babe! Speaking of, Shiro, how’s that scar cream working?”

“Fine,” Shiro said, “When I use it. Pidge that better not be a camera.” 

“What, this?” She picked up the camera and took another picture. “Why would you think that?”

“I want all the footage deleted.” Pidge giggled, which Shiro did not take kindly to. “Now!”

“Sorry, Shiro,” Hunk said, “It’s a bit hard to take you seriously with the barber bib.” 

Shiro grimaced. “That’s it, I’m ending this.”

“Sit still,” Lotor grabbed his shoulder. 

Shiro intercepted his arm that was about to slather his hair in black goo with his metal arm. “What IS that?” 

“It’s dye,” Lotor said, “For the white hairs.”

“Oh no,” He said, “I like them RIGHT where they are.”

“Really?” Keith said. “You’re gonna keep that?”

“I think it looks distinguished,” Pidge said, “Gives that ‘older’ look.”

“I am older,” Shiro said, “And you’re not dying anything.”

Lotor sighed. “Fine.” He washed his hands off. “In that case, I’m almost done.”

“Thank Quiznak,”

A few minutes later, Lotor finally declared his work good enough, and stepped back. “Well?” Shiro asked his friends. 

Matt blinked, blank. “Shiro…you…you look,”

“You look hot,” Pidge said. The others turned to her, surprised, “What, I didn’t say I’D bang him, but I’ve seen enough magazines to know what hot’s supposed to look like.”

Shiro reached up, running a hand through it. Lotor had brought his undercut back, which Shiro admitted, he liked. The rest of it… “Is it somehow longer?”

“Nunvil,” Lotor said, shrugging and stepping back. He tilted his head, “You know, I think this is my best work in a while.”

Shiro shook his head. “It’s going to get in my eyes.”

“Here,” Lotor grabbed a hairtie, “It should be just long enough.”

Shiro pulled it back into a short ponytail. “….Damn Shiro,” Hunk said, “Like….like Damn.”

Matt was currently incapable of speech, which may be related to the fact his face was beet red. “I uh….I need to go.” 

“Matt?” Shiro said as his friend ran off. “Matt, where are you going? What’s wrong?” Shiro chased after him. 

Lance put an arm around Lotor’s hips. “Nice work, babe.”

 

Lotor knocked on Allura’s door. It opened a sliver. “Allura, would you enjoy some hair care products or perfume—“

“No,” Allura said, closing her door again. 

Lotor turned on heel and walked away. “Well, I tried.”

 

Lotor grabbed the last of his possessions from his old room to move to Lance’s. He’d gotten just about everything in the main room, now he only needed the remaining supplies from his bathroom. 

He heard a thump in the main room and froze. Someone else was in here. And it wasn’t Lance, he would have said something immediately.

Cautiously, he peaked out, ready to attack. 

Instead, it was Coran, faced away and digging behind his dresser. “Coran?” Lotor said, “What are you doing?”

Coran jumped up, surprised, “Oh, hello!” He said, “I thought you had left this room, I wanted to see if there was something I left behind still here.”

“You left something in my room?” Lotor asked. 

“10,000 years ago,” Coran assured him, sticking his hand behind the dresser and feeling around. “I always wondered why you picked this room, it’s so….far from everything.”

“You picked the room for me,” Lotor said, “Or Allura did. I assumed it was BECAUSE it was far from everything.”

Coran hummed sadly, looking away awkwardly. “You’re so different,” He said, almost to himself, “Sometimes I forget you’re the same person, but…I suppose that’s what happens in 10,000 years. Things change.”

Lotor squinted at him. It…couldn’t be… “Coran…have we…met before?”

He smiled at him, sad again. “I should apologize, you know. I keep meaning to, but it’s…a tricky thing to say, really. Hard to find the words.” 

Lotor wracked his memory, the lost years from 10,000 years ago that he remembered more from history books than his own mind. 

“Alfor wanted to, you know,” Coran continued, digging around behind the dresser, “He wanted to come back for you, grab the pod he left you behind in and take you with us. You would have woken up when we did, a child growing up her with Voltron.” Lotor felt his blood running cold, “I would have…I mean we could have…” he shook his head, “But I was worried about Galra catching up with us. You were being held too close to the ruins of Altea, that’s where Zarkon would have looked for us. I was worried for Allura.” He grimaced, his hand closing around something. “So I convinced Alfor to leave you behind.”

Lotor wasn’t sure he could move at that moment. He stared at Coran, remembering the horrible way he was treated by the druids after he’d been awakened, all the horrible things in his life that had happened since, his life in exile, trying to figure out how to survive alone…then imagined being taken in here, as a child. Lance and the others waking him up. Raising him. He had gotten to know these people they…they would have raised him with love.

Who would he even have been?

“Hmm,” Coran said, “It seems my arm is stuck.” Lotor was still confused. “Lotor?”

“Oh,” Lotor shook his head and stepped forward to pull forward the dresser.

Coran extracted his hand, pulling with it a collection of small pebble like objects. “My old set of Colliacks. It’s a fun game, I wanted to show it at game night tonight.” He smirked. “You threw it at me when I tried to play with you. Your parents had just died, and I thought I could cheer you up.”

He stood up. Lotor wasn’t sure what to say. “I’m…” He swallowed, “I’m sorry.”

Coran nodded, “Even you apologized before I could.” He turned around, “You should join us for game night. You can finally learn how to play.”

Lotor nodded slowly. Coran made his way to the door. “Oh, and Lotor?” He said, “I’m….I’m so sorry.”

Lotor didn’t know what to say, so simply nodded again. Coran left. 

 

Lotor still didn’t know what to do as he came up for game night. He had tried to back out, but Lance insisted. “You okay babe?” Lance whispered to him, sitting on the couch.

Not willing to answer, Lotor nodded again, not satisfying Lance, but keeping his questions at bay for now. 

“It will take a few minutes to set the game,” Coran said, laying out all the pebbles and setting up a fascinating contraption out of sticks, “So everyone mingle among yourselves.”

Everyone else had long followed his instructions. “I think it’s quite becoming,” Allura said, a hand buried in Shiro’s hair, “It’s like the hair of the ancient Altean warriors.”

“That’s what I said!” Matt agreed, his own hand buried in Shiro’s hair, “’Cept I said human. And isn’t it so SOFT?”

Shiro sat between the two of them, petting his hair, looking like he was desperately trying to determine if he liked this development or not. 

“Mmm,” Pidge said, walking in from the kitchen, helping Hunk to carry in snacks, “Lotor, you have damn good taste, I’ll give you that. The Potpari eggs are AMAZING!” She was chewing on a small purple orb the size of her fist.

“Piiidge,” Hunk whined, “The eggs were going to be a surprise!” Pidge shrugged, not a smidge guilty. “Here, Lotor, I hope I prepared them the way you like.” He handed Lotor a plate with a similar orb on it. 

Lotor was not that hungry. All the talking, the friendly chatter around him, it was…it was noise. It was pointless. Useless. 

“Babe? Lotor?” 

Lotor looked up from staring into contemplation at his egg. Beside him, Lance and Keith were looking at him, positioned as though the two were in a spirited debate. “Hm?” Lotor asked. 

“I called for you a couple times,” Lance said, “You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes,” Lotor said, “What is it?”

“I SAID I’m the best shooter in the universe, right babe?” 

Lotor smirked and kissed his cheek, “Best I’ve seen.”

“See?” Lance said, turning to Keith, “And Lotor’s seen a lot of shooters.”

“He’s a little biased, don’t you think?” Keith said, eating his own egg. 

“Alright,” Lance said, “You bring me one of these sharpshooting aliens and we’ll have a contest, one-on-one, mano-a-mano, and we’ll see who the best is.”

“Maybe I will,” Keith said. “The egg rotten, princey?”

He looked confused at Keith. Keith looked down at Lotor’s plate and the still uneaten egg. “Oh…no,” He said, taking a bite. It was just as he remembered it. Hunk had done a wonderful job. “It’s exquisite,” He said, making Hunk beam. That sent a whole new spiral through him. 

What would it have been like, having these people raise him, have these people be….be his family.

“Alright!” Coran said, “Now this is a game of agility. We’ll be dividing into two teams—“

“I call Lotor’s team!” Pidge shouted. The room turned to her in surprise. “What? Have y’all SEEN that weird dislocate-y thing he did in training? The man’s a pretzel.”

“Yeah he is,” Lance said, eyebrows bouncing. His friends groaned, and Hunk slapped him upside the head. 

“I could do that!” Allura protested.

Matt scoffed, “Yeah, so could I. Exactly once.” Allura reached over Shiro to smack HIM upside the head. Her hit was a bit harder than Hunks, and Matt was on the floor. 

“Anyway,” Coran said, “We’ll divide up by chance, everyone grab a pebble at random from the bag, and go with your team’s color.” 

As everyone scrambled to get their piece, a strange thought occurred to Lotor, a passing glint he had never considered, and would want to give considerable more thought to before accepting it.

What if, completely by accident, these people one day became his family anyway?


End file.
